Once again, the City of Manhattan Street Department performed commendably clearing a record snowfall from our streets. This was a difficult snow to handle, since it fell over a relatively lengthy period. Other than main thoroughfares, crews needed to wait until the snow was done before attacking the streets. For only a short time were residential streets difficult to navigate. Street crews moved in concert across our community, clearing and cleaning and allowing us safe passage.
We are blessed, here in Manhattan, for the professionals who do the “grunt work” in maintaining our streets, providing us with excellent and safe drinking water, and treating our waste. We take much of this for granted. “They’re only doing what they are getting paid for!”
Too bad our elected officials can’t take some lessons from the City crews. Street Department crews didn’t need to be wined and dined by private political entities in Kansas City to know how to do their job. Streets weren’t cleaned according to who gets $1 million/year to make videos of ladies jumping on hotel beds. They didn’t start street clearing in the million-dollar home neighborhoods where Fieldhouse Group leaders live. And, they didn’t put the areas of lower cost homes last on the list to clear. Clearing was City wide and done without regard to socio-political standing. Again… Commissioners take note.
Manhattan residents are provided with safe drinking water. That water flows from a central treatment plant to all homes, regardless of who the residents are or whose behind they cozy up to. This time of year, freeze/thaw factors cause a number of water line breaks. Crews roll during cold weather, day or night, to work in muddy conditions regardless of where the break happens. Discussion aren’t held as to whether they will get invited to the next after-hours party. Breaks are repaired, even if those happen in areas that might have residents needing to avail themselves of our social service programs. The professionals working in the trenches are blind as far as “brown-nosing”... other than the mud they find caked on them after the leak is repaired.
Thank you to those hard working, blue collar City workers. Your hard work is noticed and appreciated. Please continue your dedication to ALL the citizens of our community.

Very well put Larry. Our cities lower management and ground pounders have in the past and still continue to do a commendable job, as you stated. Too bad the upper level management and leaders can’t take some lessons from them.

We had to shovel our own street so my husband could get to our driveway when he got off work at 3AM, which isn’t new, we’ve done it before. But I was shocked to see the street had a narrow path plowed by 7AM a few hours later. Much, much faster than in previous years with less snow. I was very happy and grateful for that.